Electric feeler mechanism for looms



Sept. 12, 1933. R. c. NEWTON 1,926,167

ELECTRIC FEELER MECHANISM FOR LOOMS Filed Dec. 9, 1931 FI W f7 L ven/for" obv erli (Z N610C-070- 6 y a D Patented Sept. 12, 1933 UNITED STATE-S ELECTRIC FEELER MECHANISM FOR LOOMS Robert 0. Newton, Needham Heights, Mass., as-

signor. to Guaranteed Parts, Inc., Allston, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application December 9, 1931 Serial No. 579,967

4 Claims.

This invention relates to an electric feeler mechanism for looms.

Electric feeler mechanisms of the type which have a pair of rigid electric contact members embodied therein adapted to engage the filling upon the bobbin during the beat-up movement of the lay and finallycontact with a metal sleeve or metallic coating upon said bobbin when said filling is substantially exhausted therefrom, thereby closing an electric circuit of which the contact members and sleeve form a part, are open to the serious criticism that when the loom is running if there is any rebound to the shuttle when the electric contact members are in contact with the filling that said filling is likely to be injured, causing it to breakr Furthermore, when the loom is stopped, if the electric contact members project into the path of the shuttle and it is desired to remove said shuttle from the lay, if theattendant of the loom is not careful the contact members are liable to interfere with this removal and both the contact members and the bearings in which they slide are-liable to be injured.

The object, therefore, of this invention is to provide an improved feeler mechanism of the type mentioned constructed in such a manner that a rebounding movement of the shuttle with the electric contact members in contact with the filling will not cause injury to said filling, and interference between the shuttle and contact members will not cause injury to said contact members or unnecessary wear upon the bearings in which they slide.

The invention consists in an electric feeler mechanism for looms as set forth in the following specifications and particularly as pointed out in the claims thereof.

Referring to the drawing:

Fig. 1 represents a plan view of a feeler mechanism embodying my invention, a portion of a bobbin with a filling thereon being illustrated in connection therewith.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the feeler mecha nism, a portion thereof being broken away and illustrated in section.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the mechanism.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section taken on the line 44 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a detail horizontal section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawing. V

In the drawing, 5 represents a bracket which is rigidly secured to a stud 6, or other suitable member forming a part of the frame of a loom, by means of a screw 7. Pivotally mounted upon the top of the bracket 5 is a feeler mechanism 8 embodying therein a casing member 9, constructed of insulating material, which is pivotally attached to the top surface of the bracket 5 by means of a screw 10. r l

Yieldingly mounted upon the member 9. is a pair of electric contact or feeler members 11 which are positioned in parallel relation to each other and spaced a short distance apart. The feeler members 11 are mounted to slide in metal bushings 12. A shouldered portion 13 is provided upon each of the feeler members 11 and a spring 14 surroundseach feeler member, being interposed between the shoulder 13 and the bushing 12 in which the feeler member slides. The spring 14 acts to normally hold the feeler member 11 in its forward-or normal position.

The device of this invention is so positioned upon a loom that the electric contact or feeler members 11 at their forward extremities will engage filling 15 which is wound upon a bobbin 16, and during the beat-up movement of the lay, when the filling becomes substantially exhausted from said bobbin, the tips of said feeler members will contact with a metallic covering or coating 17 which surrounds a portion of the periphery of the bobbin, thereby completing an electric circuit between the tips of the feeler members.

The source of electric current is connected to one of the electric contact or feeler members 11 through a terminal member 18 which is clamped to one of the bushings 12 by means of a nut 19. An electric wire 20 is connected to the terminal 18 by means of a screw 21. The other electric contact or feeler member 11 is grounded by being connected withthe pivot screw 10 and bracket 5 through a conducting member 22 which is clamped at one end thereof to the bushing for this contact member by means of a nut 23, while the other end of said conducting member is interposed between the insulating member 9 and the head of the pivot screw 10.

When the feeler mechanism 8 is located in its normal. position the longitudinal median line thereof, which is represented by the broken line A--A, is positioned at right angles to the longitudinal median line B-B of the bobbin 16. If, however, through interference of any kind a feeler mechanism is rocked ineither direction through a horizontal plane, the moment that the feeler mechanism is free from this interference 'it will automatically be returned to its normal iposition bymeans of a flat spring 24 which is attached to the bracket 5 by means of screws 25 and projects therefrom upwardly in front of the member 9. The spring 24 is approximately T shaped and has a pair of oppositely disposed arms 26 formed integral therewith which engage the front faceof the member 9 in such a manner that if this member is rocked in either direction upon its pivot 10 that it will be automatically returned to its normal position when the interference is withdrawn, A portion of the front face of the member 9 is cut awayat Z'Ttoprovide a depression at the rear of the spring 24, and the arms 26 engage the front face of the member 9 between this recess and thesides of said'member.

The rocking movement of the member 9 upon its pivot 10 is limited by means of a pin 28 which projects upwardly from the bracket 5 into a recess 29 which is provided in the member 9-, the

side of the recess contacting with the-pin 28- when the member 9 is rocked a sufficient distance in eitherv direction.

1 The. general operation of the mechanism hereinb'efore' specifically described is as followst- Duringalternate beat-up movements of the lay ashuttle with a bobbin 16 mounted therein will be located .at the plain end of the lay as the latter reaches the limit of its beat-upstroke; and at this time the front tip portions'of the electric contact or:feeler:members 11 will either contact with the filling 15 upon the bobbin or with the metallic. covering. 1'7 when the filling'is substantially exhausted from the bobbin, and at this latter time an electric circuit will be completed between the feeler members through the cover- If; however; during the interval that the electric feeler members 11. are inrengagement with the filling 15v 'there is a movement of the bobbin which will tend to rock the feeler mechanism 8 as a whole in either direction laterally through a horizontal plane, this rocking movement will occur without injuring the filling or causing unnecessary strain to either. the feeler members or respective bearings,

I claim:

1. A device of the character described having, in combination, a stationary member, a casing pivotally mounted thereon, a pair of electric contactmembersiyieldingly mounted on said casing, and a flat spring engaging the stationary member anclcasing and adapted to return the latter and an approximately T shaped flat spring attachedto the stationary member and engaging the casing, whereby the latter may be returned to a-normal position after having been moved therefrom.

4'. A-device of the character described having, in combination, a stationary member, a casing pivotally mounted thereon, a pair of electric c0n-- tact membersyieldingly mounted on said casing, a flat spring atta'ched to the stationary member and engaging the casing, whereby the latter may be. returned to a normal position from opposite directions, and means to limit the rocking movement of the casing ineither direction.

ROBERT C. NEWTON. 

